28 Years Later was conceived as the opening chapter of a trilogy. Director Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire) and writer Alex Garland (Civil War) filmed the movie in close sequence with its follow-up, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple — the latter scripted by Garland and directed by Nia DaCosta (Candyman, The Marvels). Sony, however, initially declined to greenlight a third installment, preferring to measure audience reaction to the first two films before committing further.
Deadline now reports that Sony has reversed course ahead of the Jan. 16, 2026 release of The Bone Temple and has approved a third movie. Garland is reportedly at work on a new script, Boyle has signaled interest in returning as director, and Cillian Murphy — who reprises his role as Jim in The Bone Temple — is in talks to come back and help close out the trilogy.
Horror continues to be a reliable performer at the box office, and 28 Years Later has so far grossed about $151 million worldwide since its June 20 premiere, opening with a strong $30 million. Beyond the receipts, Boyle and Garland have once again refreshed the infected‑film template by blending visceral genre thrills with a small‑scale British family drama.
The Bone Temple advances the coming‑of‑age arc as Spike (Alfie Williams) becomes entangled with a gang led by the cruel Sir Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell). That faction — the so‑called Jimmies — terrorizes other survivors, including Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes), who may find an unexpected ally in the alpha infected Samson (Chi Lewis‑Parry). Early reactions to the film have skewed positive, a reception that likely gave Sony confidence to let Garland complete his envisioned trilogy. The Hollywood Reporter provides initial critical takeaways.
Source: Polygon
